Automatic signal for electric railways.



Patented Apr. 29 I902.

c. H. STORM. AUTOMATIC SIGNAL FOR, ELEGTR|C RAILWAYS.

(Application filed 'Jan. 19, 1901.)

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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No. 699,!l9. Patented Apr. 29, I902.

I c. H. STORM.

AUTOMATIC SlG-NA L FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

(Application filed Jan. 19, 1901.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. i

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Patented Apr. 29, I902. c. H. STORM. AUTOMATIC SIGNAL FOR ELECTRICRAILWAYS (Application filed .nlm. 19, 1901.

3 SheetsSheet 3.

(No Model.)

IN VENTOR A ENE) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. STORM, OF WATERLOO, IOvVA, ASSIGNOR TO-RALPH L. STORM,

OF WATERLOO, IOWA.

AUTOMATlC SIGNAL FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

SPEUIFIGATION formingpart Of Letters Patent No. 699,1 19, dated April29, 1902.

Application filed January 19, 1901. Serial No. 43,857. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. STORM, a

- citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city ofWaterloo, Blackhawk county, Iowa, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Automatic Signals for Electric Railways, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic signals for electricrailways; and the object of my improvement is to provide a devicewhereby a signal is set when one or more cars enter a track-section inorder to prevent head-end collisions caused by cars approaching eachother from opposite directions. I attain this object by the meansillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a planview of this apparatus. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3is a perspective detail of the parts of the circuit-closerslightly-separated, andFig. at

is a diagram showing the method ofpconnecting the circuit-closers andswitches with the lamp-signals. I v Similar letters and numbers refer tosimilar parts throughoutthe several views.

Attached to suitable "supports on the frame aare two electromagnetsn-an'd 0, having their armatures movable in a vertical direction withinthe spools. To the lower endsot the said armatures are pivoted theoperating pawls q and 1", which respectively engage the teeth of theratchet-whe'elsl.s and t. The ratchet-wheels sand 15 are separatelymounted, so as to be revoluble about the bolt 00, the latter being setin standards b, attached to the frame 0..

Attached to the standard 0 are the flat springs u and 2;, their freeends bearing, respectively, against the lower teeth of theratchet-wheels s and t. The ratchet-wheels s and t are provided withdrurns extending inwardly toward each other and are entirely constructedof any suitable non-conducting material.

The outer periphery of the drum on the ratchet-wheel sis nearlycoveredwith a strip stant contact with the bolt ac, upon which it rotates, butis separated from the drum of the ratchet-wheel tby means of thenon-conducting drum of the latter. An insulated stud 27 on the innerface Ofthe drum of ratchet-wheel t is so placed as-to engage with theedge of the shoulder 11 when said ratchet- ,Wheel .9 is rotated underimpulse of the current caused by thereleasing mechanism at thereleasing-switch. At this time the proj ecting piece 9 is in contactwith the non-conducting surface 10 and-in a'position to be reset. Theconducting-stripe surrounds the entire outer periphery;.of the' drum ofthe ratchet-wheel t and has-aprojecting piece 9, which extends over thehub of the ratchetwheel 8 and comes'into frictional contact with it. r

A metallic conducting band or brush w is so attached to thestandardsdand c as to bear against the lowersurface of the strip .2. g is asetting-lever pivoted in'bea'rings in a box f, and its lower portionpasses through and extends below an opening in the frame a, to asufficient distance to allow it to rest upon the upper side of thetrolley-wire when the frame has been properly suspended over said wire.The upper end of the lever g is surrounded by a conducting-cap 11,permanently connected with the trolley-wire 1 by wire 8. The lever giskept normally in a vertical position by means of the springs in k,which bring a light pressure to bear against its opposite sides. bymeans of staples 11. The springs j' and m are also attached at theirbase to the frame a. and are terminal conductors communicating with thewires 5 and 6, respectively.

The single-lamp signals 16 and 18 are of red or any other colored light,while the multiple-lamp signals 17 and 19 are intended to emit a whitelight or a light of any color dis- The said springs are kept in positionI tinguishable from that of the one-lamp signals. 13, 14, and areconducting-wires supported on insulators at one side of thetrack-section, the wire 13 being a continuous feed-wire and the wires 11 and 15 extending only from the devices at one end of a block orsection of those at the other.

Each end of a section of track is provided with one of the switchesreversed in position in relation to each other.

Vhen properly suspended over the trolleywire, the different parts of theswitches are connected together and to each other and the lamps incircuit as follows: The wire 2 serves to carry the current from thetrolley-wire 1 to the brush w, strip .2, projection 9, strip 1 disk 120,bolt 00, wire 3, and lamp 16. Thence the current is carried to the lamps19 at the opposite end of the section by the wires 23 14 26 and thenceto the ground by wire 4 to the rail 22. The wire 6 connects the tcrminalj with the electromagnet n. The wire 1 also grounds the current,which may pass through either of the electromagnets. The wire 7 on theclearing-switch serves to connect the clearing-terminalj by means of thewire 13 with the wires '7 and 6 and the electromagnet n on, thesetting-switch.

For the purpose of setting the signals on the section when it is clearby car entering from the opposite side to that described the wire 3conducts the current from switch to single lamp l8. Thence the currentis carried by means of wires 25, 15, and 21, to the multiple-lamp signal1'7, thence to ground by wire 4.

The car 21 is represented as just entering upon a track-section 22, itstrolley-wheel 2O havingjust passed under and actuated the setting-leverg of the setting-switch and illuminated the single red-lamp signal 16 atthe hither end and the white multiple-lamp signal 19 at the farther endof the track-section.

The operation of the signals is thus described: The trolley-wheel 2Oimpinges upon the setting-lever g, throwing it back into contact withthe terminal 171, establishing a circuit through the wire 5 andelectromagnet 0, drawing up the movable armature p, and by means of thepawl 1' rotates the ratchet-wheel 15 through the space of one tooth,causing the projection 9 to pass over into contact with the surface ofthe conducting-strip y, as is indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1.The current passes thence through the disk 12 (shown in Fig. 3) to thebearing-bolt as, then to the wire 3, and thence to the single red lamp16, illuminating it. The current then passes by way of the wires 23,1 1,and 26 to the white signal-lamps l9, lighting them, and then passing tothe ground-Wire 4. Then the car 21 arrives at the other end' of thesection, the trolley-wheel 20 impinges upon the releasing-lever g of thesecond switch, throwing it back into contact with theclearing-terminalj, creating a circuit through the wire 7 on theclearing-switch, the wire 13, and the wires 7 and 6and electrom'agnet non the settingswitch, raising the movable armature p, and by means ofthe pawl q rotates the ratchetwheel .9 through the space of one tooth,bringing the non-conducting surface 10 under the projection 9, thusbreaking the circuit and extinguishing the lights in signal-lamps 19 and16. The red lamp 16 by its light informs the motorneer of car 21 as itenters the tracksection 22 that the circuit is complete through bothlamp-signals l6 and 19 and also gives notice to the motorneerof afollowing car that a car precedes it, moving over the section in thesame direction. The illuminated lampsignal 19 also warns the motorneerof a car coming toward the section from an opposite direction that a caris on the section approaching him.

The great advantage of this over other systems is in this, that where itis necessary to have several cars on a track-section at one time thefirst car entering a clear section sets the signal and the motorneer ofeach successive car becomes aware as his car approaches the section thatit is clear of cars coming toward him, but has one or more ahead of him:proceeding in the same direction. The red signal thus becomes an indexof safety; but

should the unlighted multiple-lamp signal under the red signal becomeilluminated it warns the motorneer that a car is approach-- ing from anoppposite direction. As each car enters a section whose red signalindicates the track clear ahead except for cars moving forward in thesame direction its trolleywheel by impinging upon the setting-levergivesamomentaryimpulse ofcurrentthrough' the electromagnet 0, which, bymeans of magnet-controlled pawl 2*, moves the ratchetwheel t through thespace of one tooth, causing a like movement of the tongue-piece orprojection 9 over the strip y. If ten cars pass over the section, theratchet-wheel t is rotated through a space of ten teeth. WVhen the tenthand last car by means of its trolley-wheel impinging upon thereleasing-lever releases the ratchet-wheel s, it allowssaidratchet-wheel s to rotate until it has passed over a space of ten teethand then is locked by the engagement of the stud 27 with' the shoulder11, leaving the projection 9 over the non-conducting surface 10. Thecircuit is thus broken and the signal-lights extinguished. It is obviousthat any number-of cars may thus be permitted to enter a section oftrack, proceeding in the same direction, and limited only by the numberof teeth in the ratchet-wheels in the operation of the system. In theevent that it becomes necessary to turn back one or more cars which havealready entered the traek-section the car or cars turned back clear thesignals by means of the setting-switch in the same manner as if they hadpassed off going in the other direction.

The claims below are intended to cover the construction of thecircuit-closcrherein shown I do and described when used in connectionwith a switch such as shown and described herein or of any otherconstruction which is covered by the terms of the claims themselves. No

claim is made in this application to any of the I circuit-closer coveredin this case.

What I claim as new is' 1. A switch in'constant circuit with atrolley-wire and adaptedto' be moved by a trol magnets combined with acircuit-closer comprising two drums mounted on a common shaft and eachhavinga ratchet-wheel, pawlsfor said wheels actuated 'by'the'armaturesof said magnets, fiat springs also engaging said wheels for preventingretrograde movements, an insulated hub fast on one drum and standin gbetween the two, mechanism whereby the drums are thrown into and out ofelectrical connection with each vother through step-bystep rotation,asource of electrical power in circuit with one drum, and a circuitleading from the other drum through the work to be performed, as and forthe purpose set'forth. 2. A switch adapted to be moved byatrolley-wheelpassing in either direction, two electromagnets, terminalsat opposite sides of the switch, and electrical connections between themand the magnets; combined with a cir-, cuit-closer comprising two drumsmounted on' a common shaft and one of them in electrical connectiontherewith, mechanisms whereby said drums are rotated bystep-by-step movements by the armatures of said magnets, an insulated hub faston one drumand standing between the two, a disk between this hub and the otherdrum, a shoulder connecting the disk with the metallic face of its drum,a stud on the other drum adapted to be engaged by this shoulder, aprojecting piece on the lastmentioned drum adapted to contact Withtheface of'the other drum or to rest in an insulated space therein when theshoulder en gagesthe stud, electricalconnections between this piece anda source of power, and electrical connections'betwee'n saidshaft and theworkto bep erformed, as and for the purpose.

set forth.

3. A circuit-closer consisting of ashaft in circuit with the work to'beperformed, two insulated drums mounted thereon and having metallicfaces, one having an insulated space and the other'bei'ng solid, a pieceprojecting fronrthe solid face and adapted to rest 'on said broken faceor' stand in such space,

mechanisms for rotating-said drums by stepby-st'ep movements, aninsulating-hub of smaller diameter than and secured to the inner end ofthe drum which has the broken face, a disk at the inner end of this hubin electrical connection with the shaft, a metallic shoulder standing onthe periphery of the hub and connecting its face with said disk, aninsulating-stud in the inner end of the other drum adapted to be struckby said shoulder when the projecting piece stands on the insulation, abrush bearing on the unbroken face of the last-mentioned drum,and-electrical connections'leading from this brush to a source ofenergy, as and for the purpose set forth.

I 4. In a block-signaling system, difierentlycolored lights at oppositeends of each block those of one color at one end being in circuit withthose of a different colorat the remote end, a-switch in circuit with asource of energy and adapted to be moved in either direction by thepassing trolley-wheel, and ter minals at opposite sides of said switch;com bined with a circuit-breaker consisting of two drums mounted on acommon shaft andinsulated from each other, electrically-operatedmechanisms connected with saidterminals" for rotating said drumsindependently with a steprby step movement, means for making, andbreaking electrical connection between the drums at certain points,positive mechanism forlreestablishing this connection after it isbroken, connections from a source of power to one drum, and connectionsfrom the other drum through one pair of signals to the ground, as and'for'the purpose set forth.

' 5. In a'block signaling system, diflerently coloredlights at oppositeends of each block, those of one color at one end being in circuit withthose of a different color' at thev remote end, a switch in constantcircuit with a source of energy and adapted to be-moved in eitherdirection by the passing trolley-wheel, and terminals at opposite sidesof said switch; combined with acircuit-breaker consisting of two drumsmounted on acom'ino'n" shaft and insulated from each other,electricallyoperated mechanisms connected with said termiuals forrotating said drums'independently with a step bystep movement, means forbreaking electrical connection between the drums 'at certain points,connections from a source of power to onedrum, and connections from theother drum through one'pair'of sig nals to the ground, as andfor thepurpose set forth. i i

Signed at Waterloo, lowa,this 19th day of December, 1900. i iv 4 ICHARLES H. STORM. Witnessesz' CLYDE ALLEN,

M. E, KENN DY." V

